STUART PEARCE expects Jack Wilshere to develop during the European Under-21 Championship qualifiers in the same way as Theo Walcott during the last campaign.

Wilshere, 17, is the latest Arsenal prodigy Pearce is nurturing at international level.

Pearce, whose team start qualifiers for Euro 2011 in Macedonia tonight and Greece four days later, said: “It was Theo, Theo, Theo all the time. What we said then was ‘give Theo time to mature’.The same will happen to Jack. He’s got to try to win a place in this Under-21 team at the moment – and also in Arsenal’s team.

“But that will happen in time, there’s no doubt about it, because he has fantastic talent.”